Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Today I got to go back out to Mt. Doom Davis. It was unseasonably cool and a great day for climbing.My friend RC came out from Pittsburgh and we set out around 1130. The route ended up looking like this, with the outbound (climbing) segment in red and the second (generally downhill) leg in green.

There is an unnecessary bit on the outbound leg where we missed a turn and had to backtrack. It took 3.5 hours to get up to the top, and 1.0 hour to get back down. We didn't do anything unusual, but the top speed on the computer was 41.1 mph when we were finished. Glorious descents.

The roads were not busy and the drivers were all very courteous. Twice the surface changed from pavement to dirt-gravel and then back again. Very pretty country, tremendous views. It was a cool day, but we were pretty warmed up.

There's a marker, an observation tower, and a few explanatory panels at the peak of Mt. Davis but otherwise there's nothing in the way of restrooms or water. When we started down, we stopped at the nearby YMCA camp to fill our water bottles (and to put our jackets on, the descents were bracing).

On the way down we decided to eschew the gravel-dirt roads and improvised a paved route, which worked pretty well. The descent still had climbs in it, this is not a rail-trail engineered with a focus on redundant grade.

A tremendous ride, challenging and rewarding. I'm glad I had good company for it.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Started out to ride from Confluence to the top of Mount Davis and I Did Not Finish (DNF). I looked at the climb and I blinked.

There are stories, factors: excuses. I listed to my phone, which routed me on dirt roads, which turned into muddy hills - but that's an excuse. It's a poor cyclist who blames Google.

I heard footsteps from the expected Tornados of the Century but that's just bad planning on my part.

I just didn't have the mojo. Today was not the day. In previous years, I'd have stuck it out until I bonked, puked, or had a blood sugar crash. Today I recognized, this path is not working for me, and pushing real hard isn't going to make it better.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Started in Confluence with a visit to the Confluence Cyclery. They really know what they're doing - free wifi, water, bike wash station. There's a booth on the trail giving away tokens redeemable for small treasures at the bike shop.

Rode uphill/east. Saw some folks had picked an inspired place for casual camping. One of my first feelings was: lucky!, my second thought was: great location but no water supply, and my next thought was d'oh! there's a river!

Every time I come out here I mean to mention this and forget to: I think the road crossing is Markleton is (relatively) a bit tricky for low-time, unprepared cyclist noobs. If you're westbound and descending you're fast, and there's a fairly significant mini-ditch in the trail-road interface.

Which is exactly what this cyclist is encountering (and handling quite well):
And then when you get to the other side of the road, you meet an abrupt uphill and you're probably not in the right gear for that.

Eastbound/climbing, you encounter a downhill and then a funny oblique road crossing:

It's nothing technical, it's just a moment that wants your attention in the midst of twenty miles that doesn't.

Continued to the Rockwood Opera House, and what I think is the only Espresso machine in the region. Talked to some Annapolis cyclists considering Pgh-DC. Back on the bike, descending.

Finally: very very impressed that the gender distribution of the top-ten Pittsburgh riders in the National Bike Challenge is 50/50.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Based in Confluence for a few days. Confluence is where the waters and mountains reach the sky which sometimes results in morning fog, which was kind of thick today. At midday, rode west toward Ohiopyle for a few miles. Sat on a bench, listened to the trees and the river, took a bike nap. Woke up, sat up, saw former colleague BN and his daughter T riding by, a happy circumstance. He asked me, what are you doing here? I said, where else would I be? We had a nice chat and I gave them a Honey Stinger Waffle from my BOMS (bag of many snacks).

Rode around a bit more, returned to base. Met local cyclist W on a recumbent (which seem very popular among Confluence residents). We rode "up" to the Pinkerton Bypass. It seems that locals don't refer to east and west as much as they talk in terms of up (east) and down (west).

Gobsmacked to learn that the Cassellman River, east/up from the Pinkerton Horn, is the location of a nuage energy vortex that is somewhat of a destination for folks that are aligned with that. This is why you have to ride with local cyclists! I'm told that if you know the spot, as you ride the trail you will sometimes see folks meditating there.

I was victualled today by Sisters for breakfast (5/10), Sweeties for lunch (7/10), and River's Edge for dinner (11/10).

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Rode with K, S, and KC. Started at the Bastille at 0630 and rode out to Sandcastle and the Riverton Bridge between Duquesne PA and McKeesport.

Reversed, and after crossing the Whittaker Flyover encountered a cyclist who'd just fallen surrounded by three friends, probably grandma's who were out living the dream. Unfortunately, the fallen cyclist made great haste to get up because we were approaching and that wasn't necessary at all. They were a funny group of folks and no injuries.

Crossed the Rankin Bridge en route to an errand in Swissvale. Approached Regent Square from an unusual direction, across Squill, and rode Pocusset Bikeway with KC who hadn't seen it before. Coming off Pocusset I pulled some bad nav juju, I should have led us to Greenfield downhill but instead I took us through Schenley Park which I think took an extra three miles.

On the Jail Trail, approaching Golden Triangle Bike Rentals, I could see a cyclist with a helmet that looked almost like a time-trials helmet from a distance but as we got closer it seemed like something else. When we got there it turned out to be the best sunshade ever, I had to take a picture.

The cyclist said it's called Da Brim. She was on a folding Bike Friday, heading to Perryopolis for the night enroute to DC in a party of three.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Tuesday, an avid driver tried to kill me in an act of not-seeing-me, which is really passive-aggressive at its best: I didn't see the cyclist, the cyclist is dead now, there's no criminal penalty, and people will offer me (the avid driver) comfort for my trouble.

Classic scenario: I was just riding along (as they say), on a straight twp-lane road, in my lane because there's no shoulder and also no traffic. The driver was opposite direction and intended to turn left into a medical office complex (on my right). The driver never saw me, and just turned into me. This is, according to a lot of what I read, the most frequent category of car-on-cyclist fatality: it's a head-on where the driver fails to perceive the cyclist as existing, probably because they're busy, not expecting the cyclist, operating on memory as much as in the moment, and possibly distracted.

Fortunately, I perceived her and so I didn't die.

So I'm rocking a bright high-viz helmet, a bright orange-yellow jersey, and I'm a big guy; I'm a pretty visible object. When I take myself out of the trajectory and start waving at the driver, hello I'm here please don't kill me, the driver looks at me like, what are you doing there? crazy cyclists!.

To move into speculation, having watched her face, I think the driver was occupied scanning the parking lot at the doctor's office, trying to figure out where they could put the car when it was still in the road, even before starting the turn. That's where the driver was looking while they commenced the turn into me.

My take-away was, what else could I have done to prevent the scenario? And my answer was, my front blinking was in the o-f-f position. What, what, what was I thinking? Was I really focused on saving electricity? I think I'll use up a few more electrons from now on.

Three very nice days of commuting to work on the bike. If I end up inside, at least I can bike back and forth.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Started at the Bastille with my wife Karen. About a mile into the ride, met S on the trail returning from OpenStreets and was able to return some of her gear from my van from last week's shuttle.

Back on the trail, around the stadia, out to the 40th Street Bridge. Crossed the Allegheny River, continued east out to the Oakmont Bakery. I have heard of cronuts before, but never doughsants which may be a trademark issue.

But a rose by any other name... They certainly do taste good. Oakmont Bakery also has some lovely little mini-eclairs. And bags that fit into front baskets.

Departed along Allegheny River Blvd, turned at One Wild Place and climbed up to Highland Park and Taza D'Oro which was closed when we went there on Friday. Our fortune was better today, and the coffee was great (as always). Came out and was unlocking our bikes, saw Danny Chew riding by with a buddy.

Rode over to Banker Supply, very impressive new shop. Crossed the Whole Foods -slash- EastSide footbridge over the Busway and took Ellsworth to Junction Hollow to SouthSide, and stopped at REI. Took advantage of the geography and went to OTB for dinner, and we lucked into seeing nascent Burgh cyclist Rick Sebak and also the crew from the day's Zodiac Alleycat, double yoi!

Great meal at OTB, then the Jail Trail and the Chateau Trail back to the waiting car which was still there. 38 miles.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Started with my wife Karen, driving (of all modes!) to Thick Bikes to pick up some Tectonic brake pads. These have a slightly larger surface area than other KoolStop brake pads and I love them, but dubiously the supply houses are not carrying the refills. I really appreciated that Thick persisted until they found a supplier that sells the refills, in addition to the initial pad-and-housing kit. So, kudos Thick.

Parked behind the Carnegie library. Walking over to the meet-up spot (Dippy the Dinosaur) for the pre-Flock / Pittsburgh Bike Party muster. There was a mini-flurry of police activity with several vehicles and a lot of officers looking for somebody. A few minutes later, they were taking a cyclist (not a Flocker) away along with the bike and panniers. Not sure what that was all about, or whether it had any connection with the street-corner protest of the Israeli military operation in Gaza.

The Bike Party ride was, as always, well organized, copacetic, good spirited and fun. Great folks. Probably 35-ish riders. I love the sound track coming from the music trailer on these rides. This month's sound track was a bit different, sort of a twangy quasi-bluegrass theme I think.

We stayed with the group until the grocery stop prior to the Highland Park potluck, then K and I split to ride over to Taza D'Oro for most excellent coffee. Tragedy struck; the place was closed. This was like an existential challenge to my soul. Ended up riding over to the Whole-Foods Starbucks. Really not inclined to go to Corporate Coffee, but one does what one must. Pleased to see NickD down the street from Banker Supply.

Iced coffee at Starbux was good. Rode over to Verde on Penn for dinner, as it was a place I've wanted to try. I've been eager to develop a fave taqueria. The food was good, service medium, prices perhaps a bit high. The search continues.

Rode over to Oakland, got in line at Dave and Andy's for ice cream about :15 minutes before they closed. Excellent ice cream. It started raining lightly as we got our cones. We rode back to the car in a light drizzle. Timing is everything, they say.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Back on the bike after two days off, following the DC trip. Parked at the Bastille, hoping to make a 6pm event in Shadyside. (tl-dr: didn't quite make it). Managed to drop my chain on the ramp up to the 31st Street Bridge. Had a great, brisk ride in rush hour traffic across Lawrencville and Bloomfield to get there.

Having missed the start time for the event, decided to improvise. K and I rode across Oakland, down Junction Hollow and across the Hot Metal Bridge to OTB. She had the Thick Burger, I had portabello tacos and a double serving of black bean and corn mishmash, mondo nom-nom-nom all around.

Very pleasantly surprised to see AH at a nearby table.

Departed in the dark via the Jail Trail. Saw Mikhael knocking down more miles. Across the Ft. Duquesne Bridge, stayed on the streets until we were around the Casino just due to the darkness, then the trail back to the Bastille.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Started in Confluence this morning. Breakfast at Sister's, naturally. After just a few miles, stopped by GAP MP63 to go down by the river and see what's happening.

Stopped in Ohiopyle at the General Store, looks like they have an expansion going on. Departed, stopped at the pipeline crossing about 7 miles west of Ohiopyle to check the scenery. Right after we got there, so did a number of other cyclists so we beat it out of there.

Felt a few sprinkles of rain as we approached Connellsville. We'd arrange to R to pick us up in Connellsville because of the weather forecast. The next few miles went pretty easily, and we made Connellsville about +30 minutes ahead of schedule, which is to say: at a perfect time.

We loaded up the car and were heading out of town as major rain started, so we felt pretty good about the decision and very grateful that Rusty would come and pick us up.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Having been dropped off in Frostburg, MD we started today's ride at MP16 on the GAP, riding west. We climbed for 6 miles to the Savage Vista, where I noticed a string of Tibetan prayer flags in the wind. Very cool.

Continued climbing the two more miles to the Continental Divide and then enjoyed the bliss of descent. Rode into Meyersdale and had some ice cream.

Rode into Rockwood, made our way to the Rockwood Opera House, was genuinely surprised at the quality of the pizza. Pressed on for another 18 (20, really, when you consider the Bypass that isn't included in the official numbers) and made it to Confluence.

Stayed at the River's Edge Loft. This is my new fave place to stay in Confluence. Spacious, attractive, air conditioned. (Needs wifi, but hey). Really a great place, and quite private. Had dinner at River's Edge Cafe, most excellent.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Started today's ride in Leesburg. Used the hotel shuttle to get to White's Ferry and cross the Potomac. Started riding south. One of the riders didn't like the mud and felt a bit nervous, so they departed the trail around MP22.

Stopped for snacks at Great Falls, MP14. After that, the quality of the trail really improves as you get closer to the seat of power and funding.

After MP5 we'd insisted that the group stay in a single pack, just to keep the navigation simple. The turns through Georgetown do require some attention, it's easy to mistakenly move to a crossing trail, and the navigation to MP0 is a bit of a trick. We managed to move the whole group to MP0 and a successful group photo. They all did really well.

After the glory moment and the photos, it turns pretty quick into Friday afternoon in Washington DC and the logistics of what's next. For me, my wife Karen drove down in a van and picked up R and S and I. We drove back to Frostburg together, then K and I got out so we could ride partway back to Pittsburgh ourselves on the trail.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

R and I started out in town. Rode through the main drag and found a great coffee shop, had coffee and breakfast before joining the others. Once we marshalled the group, we made a happily orderly transition across the bridge to the east side of the river and down to the C&O Canal Trail.

We made Harper's Ferry without any difficulty. Some members of the group kept riding ahead, others went across to check out the scene of so much hostory. Then we advanced to Brunswick MD and Beans in the Belfry, a church building turned into a coffee house and bistro. The food was very good.

S. stopped in a bakery on our way out of town and scored a loaf of carrot-pineapple-zucchini bread just out of the oven, major accomplishment of the day. Down to White's Ferry and crossed over the Potomac.

We relied on the Leesburg Comfort Suites for help shuttling the bikes and people and they were extremely helpful and effective. Gold star. We ate in the mexican restaurant across from the hotel, and turned in early.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Last night's storm left major sections of the C&O closed and strewn with downed trees. One of the sections deemed impassable and closed was the one we'd worked our way through the night before. Instead of sending the group out for a day of heavy lifting and portaging, wiser heads prevailed and a Derecho Snow Day was declared; those portions of the party that were inclined to enjoy a spa experience in Berkeley Springs did so, while others fell into schlepping and repositioning our assets for the next day's recovery.

This is the pool at the Bavarian Inn in Shepardstown, where most of the travelling party stayed. R and I stayed at a slightly less opulent place in town.

We went out and had dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe. I had a black bean burger which was excellent. Great place, much more reasonably priced than the other alternatives in town. There's a major bit of waterworks running through the outdoor dining patio.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

This I believe: (1) The GAP is a modern, safe trail. (2) The C&O is a Civil War donkey path, or as DK has written, a shitshow squirrel path tour of hell. Today our group got to experience both, and the C&O delivered on its promise.

The day's itinerary was ambitious: 31 miles to the end of the GAP in Cumberland, and another 45 miles on the C&O Canal Trail to Little Orleans, followed by a shuttle van ride up to Town Hill Inn. As Clauswitz said, no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

The ride started with the seven remaining miles of climbing. Some of the group came by car and joined us in Deal, PA. Crossed the Eastern Continental Divide (a phrase that should focus the attention) and then the Joy of Descent. Great fun coming down into Cumberland. The final segment I was riding sweep with a slower rider who unfortunately fell off the bike in downtown Cumberland, resulting in a few ouchies.

Lunch at the Crabby Pig while the bikes got a mid-trip check at the bike shop next door. Out on the C&O trail. We had told the riders that this trail was different and much more unforgiving, but the conditions were so good that I wondered if we seemed Cassandrish to the group.

While we were in the PawPaw Tunnel there was a major violent storm, heavy rain, hail, strong winds probably with microbursts. Later we heard it was considered a derecho. Lots of downed trees. The trail from Paw Par Tunnel to Little Orleans was an exercise in Slow Riding, portaging, and trail clearing.

It took hours to make the last few miles. When we did reach the trailhead there was no electricity in the local community (storm!) and so our lodging plans needed adjustment. Couldn't call anybody, couldn't reach anybody. Very isolated and out of the loop.

Ended up with a room (and a roof and a meal) in Berkely Springs, WV. The riders who were on the trail for the last segment had a blast. Some of us even got poison ivy while playing forest ranger. If the adventure is the space between the plan and the experience, today was a lot of adventure.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Woke to a very pretty morning. My buds tell me that it rained overnight but I never heard it. I love my Big Agnes Tent.

We met the others at their B&B while they were enjoying an amazing breakfast and we scrounged some for ourselves which was so very gracious of the innkeeper. Much checking of air and scrambling with bags and then we were on our way through Ohiopyle. The river seemed pretty low and quiet to me.

Rode into Confluence. Things I love about Confluence: the layout of the town, the atmosphere, the town square, Confluence Cyclery, River's Edge, Mayor Bill Metzger. Places I actively dislike the way it's run: The Parker House. I used to really enjoy Sister's Cafe, but increasingly the portions are smaller, the prices are higher, and the service is worse and it's too bad because I really want to like that place.

Departed eastbound, the trail pitched up and the group fractured. Rode into Rockwood in the sweep group, went to the Rockwood Opera House for ice cream.

Rode east and I was in the middle group. Everything was going well so I loitered until the sweep group caught up and they just didn't so I reversed and encountered them after an injury, so we took that cyclist to a trailhead for an extraction. I tried to provide context and assurance that everything was all right by taking a bike nap.

Our lodging in Meyersdale was verklemptified because a fire adjacent to Morguen Toole had closed the place due to smoke and water damage. The proprietors of Levi Deal mansion were able to make provision for us in a grand way. We had the finest dinner I've ever had on the GAP or C&O there - home made soup, salad, local bread (and local beer!), chicken and rice, cake and ice cream. Wow wow wow, Meyersdale on a Monday night. This would have been a great meal in Manhattan.

The rooms were great; it really is a mansion with really good wifi. Nothing is lacking at Levi Deal. Breakfast the next morning was an egg-sausage casserole with polenta, first time I've ever had that. It was wonderful.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Started riding today at Gateway Center. Rode around for a little bit, met a group riding to DC, rode to the Point for picture taking.

I ended up pulling duty-driver for the first leg and drove the support vehicle to West Newton, where they stopped for lunch at The Trailside.

After lunch one of the younger riders got into the sag-wagon and I could get onto the trail.

The group split into three very divergent packs. I was really impressed at how they all did on their first day. In Connellsville they stayed at the Connellsville B&B, while we camped at the Adirondack shelters along the trail. I got to use my solar shower rig. There's a New York Pasta and Pizza shop in the shopping plaza right behind the campground plaza, and electrical outlets at the blue building for recharging the gizmos. We turned in early to make sure we had a good start on the next day.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Today I got to take part in escorting a few non-habitual cyclists (irregular cyclists?) on a brief ride around town. My own ride started at the Bastille, to Market Square, and to Gateway Center.

We rode Blvd of the Allies, Cherry Way, Smithfield Street Bridge, and the SouthSide Trail (saw peripatetic CharlieF!) to the center of the known universe, REI-Southside. A brief stop for shopping, rest rooms, and adjustments and then across the Hot Metal Bridge and the Jail Trail, back to Gateway Center.

The group of 11 could have been unwieldy but it wasn't, and Pittsburgh treated them very nicely. It's good periodically to see the city's bike-viewshed along with fresh eyes, and Pittsburgh looked pretty good today.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Rode with my neighbor Jack, on the road bike. Started at the Bastille, and with this being both YaGotta-Regatta time, the 4th of July, and the Furry Anthrocon I thought there might be congestion at Point State Park. There were Pgh Police at the entrances (smiling, happy Pgh Police mind you) with big signs encouraging cyclists to dismount and walk their bikes through the park. I thought that was a very effective move and the PoPo presence was very positive-friendly-proactive. Kudos.

Noticed that they had some British flag with St.George's Cross flying over Point State Park. Just to get out of the throng, walked briskly over to the Ft. Pitt bridge to put downtown in the rear view mirror (which I don't have on my road bike). Saw this great big hulking riverboat tied up at the Mon Whorf:

My bikePgh buddy B-E points out that when Pittsburgh sliced up its world for the new ribbons of superhighway, the city really gave up its river access - to the point where the downtown streets just don't have any river access any more. There really isn't any way to get to the Mon Whorf, accept for one isolated access road. So a city that grew based on river commerce (and river-fed industry) now has no river access along most of the shoreline because: cars.

Continued through Keystone Metals, Sandcastle, Waterfront, down to Riverton Bridge and reversed. I believe I've spotted another clothing trend - I was possibly the first to spot the Women-Using-Bras-as-Phone-Holsters and didn't say anything about that, and I've always regretted it so today I'm seizing the moment and speaking truth to power Marketing, darn it.

Made the third sighting in ten days of what might be a new trend - cyclists in dashiki's. I've seen three (middle aged male) cyclists wearing dashiki's around Pittsburgh just recently. What it most reminds me of is what FrankB (a plainclothes policeman) told me in 1970: these are the best shirts for carrying a concealed weapon. I don't know if the NRA has started selling them, or if their use has just gotten some viral buzz, but three white cyclists in dashiki's is too weird.

Looking forward to seeing a Yinzer with a Mullet in a black-and-gold Dashiki with "Four Feet N'At Please" on the back, riding a bike through SouthSide.

Surprised at how few people were out - the trail was certainly being used, but there wasn't the throng I anticipated. Saw several larger groups, great to see people bringing gaggles of folks out on bikes. In general, the level of trail etiquitte was very high.

The wind was high, and the ride back in to town was a bit slower than the ride out of town. Took the Hot Metal Bridge, Jail Trail, Grant Street, Blvd of Allies (TIL BoA), Market Square, 6th Street Bridge (closed for a baseball game ftw!), Reedsdale, and Chateau back to the vehicle. 37 miles on what might be the nicest weather-day of the year so far.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

I rode to work. In spite of all my efforts, I arrived a bit glisteny which is something that happens. Some people show up at their jobs a bit hung over, and sometimes I show up a bit bike-glisteny; diversity.

Departed mid-afternoon and was feeling a bit low-energy. Thought about eating (which would have been smart) but nothing close really appealed to me, so chose instead to take a nap (which is like the diabetic's classic foolish choice, even when it's a bike nap).

Took a bike nap in the park in Bridgewater. Lying in the sun, recharging the Vitamin-D, awesome. Not as smart as eating, though. As happens sometime to a bike-napper of a certain age, had one concerned younger person stop to ask if I was okay (meaning, alive) which was so nice of them.